The Inheritor
by iorwen
Summary: Sequal to Don't Let Go, Jack, Juliet and Claire move their families to Maine and find they've purchased a haunted house. Or is it haunted? Is it Jacob reaching out? And will Jack heed his father's warning, Jacob is not to be trusted? Chp 7 finally up!
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Inheritor (sequel to Don't Let Go)

Rating: R for sexual content and violence

Pairing: Jack/Juliet & Sawyer/Claire

Disclaimer: Characters from Lost belong to ABC

"Being a leader means doing what you think is right then living with the consequences"

_Watership Down_

_-Richard Adams-_

Chapter 1

"I'm sick of the beach, all this white sand stretching on forever," Claire said as she and Juliet watched on as Aaron played with his shovel, little Christian laughing at his side.

Juliet sighed, she knew what Claire meant, the LA sunshine and surf only made for a constant reminder of what happened on the island. Claire fiddled with the sun hat on her son, he was walking now, or at least trying, and he squirmed from under his mother's fussing.

"Have you heard from Sawyer?" Claire asked trying to sound casual about it but the rise in her voice betrayed her growing feelings for him.

"Not for weeks," Juliet said and wondered when exactly Claire developed feelings for the man who shot Charlie dead. Then a pang of guilt and sorrow flooded over her, it was after all, to save her, that James pulled the trigger.

"I hoe he's alright," Claire said.

"I think," Juliet said and tilted her head to the side in contemplation, "James just needs some time to process it all. The realization that Infinity had his daughter killed had to be a shock."

Claire nodded holding Aaron close to her heart, but she missed him. Sawyer was the only one, apart from Jack and her sister in law, that she stayed in contact with. She had this sense of dread that she was going to need him soon, they all were.

……

The gun shot was loud and piercing, the smell of gun powder burned down his throat as he stood trembling over his dead mother's body.

Jack woke up with a start, a cold sweat on his brow. Another nightmare, he thought to himself as he wiped his damp forehead. The nap his wife had suggested did nothing to cure his exhaustion. It was if Margo Sheppard was haunting him from the grave. He frowned before getting off the couch and walking to the kitchen. He poured himself a cool drink and sat at the table. A note in his sister's hand writing met his gaze.

"Went to the beach with Jules and the kids."

He sighed and crumpled the piece of paper in his hand. Underneath it an envelope lay open. The return address, Portland, Maine was beckoning him. Jack was offered a job at a brand new hospital opening in the eastern state. He slipped the letter out and reread it for the hundredth time. Maybe he should accept it. Maybe he could out run his ghosts.

…..

"Hi honey," Juliet said as she came in, Christian asleep in her arms.

"Hey," he said giving them both a quick kiss, "Did Claire go home?"

"Yeah, Aaron was getting fussy, too much sun."

He nodded absent mindedly as Juliet laid Christian down in his playpen.

"Juliet," he said softly.

She turned and saw the familiar look on his face. The look that said he had something serious to discuss. She noticed as she sat down on the sofa, he had the hospital letter in his hand.

"You're going to take the job," she stated.

"Well," he said, "I'm thinking about it."

"I think you should Jack," she told him.

"You do?"

"Look, living in this house, her house, it's just not good for you, all those nightmares, the guilt."

He looked down at his feet, "You think moving will get rid of that?"

Juliet slid off the couch and crawled over to him, slipping between his legs. Her hands slid tenderly up his thighs.

"No Jack, only you can let go of it when you're ready, but I think it would help if we got away. It's like Claire was saying to me earlier, all this sand and ocean, it's too much like the island."

He smiled, running his hand over her golden locks.

"There's sand and ocean in Maine too," he told her.

"Yeah, but it's the Atlantic, rocky and wild. We could use a bit of that," she slyly said in her flirtatious tone.

"Oh yeah?" he said and kissed her mouth, "I'll call the Chief of Staff then."

"Good," Juliet said sliding into his lap, "Ask about their fertility centre as well."

"You want to go back to work?" he asked her.

"Maybe, not yet but soon."

"Okay then, I'll ask," he said, "Juliet."

"Yes Jack?"

"I want Claire to come with us."

"Then ask her."

"You're okay with that?"

"Considering she's the only real friend I have apart from James, who's AWOL, yeah, I'm okay with that," she said as her thoughts turned to Sawyer, her brow scrunched in worried thought.

"He'll be fine you know," Jack said, "Sawyer has more lives than a cat," Jack said scooting her off him so he could get up.

"I'm gonna go see Claire," he said grabbing his keys from the kitchen table before heading out the door.

….

"Maine! Why would I want to go to Maine?" Claire asked holding a cup of herbal tea for her brother to take.

"It's a nice state and well you were telling Juliet how sick you were of L.A. and well, I'm going to be there," Jack said convincingly, or so he hoped.

"Yeah but you've got a job there, what would I do?" she asked blowing on her steaming mug.

"It's not like working at the diner you're at now is a great career investment," he said but regretted it the moment the words left his mouth.

Claire stared, she knew she had nothing or no one to stay for but she had been through so much, change was a scary thing. That feeling of dread came over her again.

"Look, I'm sorry I said that," Jack apologized and took her hand in his, he glanced at the chipped nail polish on her fingertips before gazing into her eyes, his father's eyes.

"I just found you really, and you're the only family I have left, you and Aaron. I can't just let you go yet," he told her.

She let out a deep breath, "I suppose I can easily find a crummy job and a crummy apartment in Maine," she said smiling at him.

He grinned, "Oh you'll be living with me and Juliet."

"What?" she said, "I can't do that, you two need your privacy and so do I. Besides, with the two boys it would be crowded."

"Nonsense," he cried, "The Chief of Staff already listed the number of a great realtor. He'll find us a big house with plenty of room."

Clare eyed him suspiciously, "You don't have to take care of me you know."

"When Dad died everything went to me," he said, "It wasn't fair."

"He left me with a trust fund," Claire stated.

"A small trust fund, hardly the same," Jack noted, "It wasn't right, let me make it right."

Claire knew how stubborn Jack could be when he set his mind on things, ironically he was still being the leader he fought so hard against being. Claire shrugged knowing there was only one thing to do, give up.

"So when do we leave for Maine?" she asked with a bright smile on her face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chp. 2**

"Be cunning and full of tricks and your people will never be destroyed."

Watership Down

-Richard Adams-

"I'm driving up the path now Juliet," Jack said into his cell phone, nearing their newly purchased house, "I just have to meet with the house inspector, get his okay, and it's ours."

"Oh Jack, it's really going to be a new beginning for us," his wife cried enthusiastically into the phone.

"It really is," Jack said and pulled into the driveway, "Okay love, I'm here, I'll call you when all the papers are ready."

"Okay Jack, I miss you, I can't wait to move there," she cooed.

"Love you, bye."

Jack stepped out of his rented sedan and walked to the front door. It was ajar so he let himself in.

"Hello?" he called, "Is anyone here?"

"Hello Jack."

"You! What the hell are you doing here?" Jack asked his eyes wide with surprise.

"I'm the building inspector," John Locke said holding his clipboard out in front of him, the company logo _Welcome Home _emblazoned on the back, as some sort of proof.

"You're what?" Jack asked perturbed.

Locke nodded, "It was one of the many jobs I had prior to the Island, before the box company and after the toy store."

Jack shook his head, "I don't need a run down of your resume John. What the hell are you doing here, in Maine, in my house?"

"The company had a subsidiary in Maine, I came here after, well after you got us all rescued," Locke said as if rescue was a sin.

"Kate got you rescued, not me," he said.

"Well," John said waving off the technicality, "I didn't know it was your house I was going to inspect until I read the name. Of course, Dr. Sheppard could be a common name so I had no way of knowing for sure Jack."

Jack tensed, the veins in his neck bulging with frustration. He took a step closer to the bald man.

"I thought you didn't believe in coincidences," Jack said through gritted teeth.

John gave him a wide grin and a slight chuckle, "I don't Jack. Who's to say it wasn't destiny for the two of us to meet up again?"

Jack let out an exasperated breath. "Is the house fine?"

"It's great Jack. You can move in tomorrow if you want," he told him handing him his assessment.

Jack tore it from his hands.

"Good," he said, "Then you can leave."

John smiled again and headed for the door.

"It was nice seeing you again Jack, give my best to Juliet, Claire and Aaron," he told him before turning once more at the porch, "And little Christian of course."

"How the hell did you know about my son?" Jack asked chasing him down the front lawn.

"I'm not the only one here in Maine from the Island," Locke said before getting into his company van and driving off leaving Jack confused and angry.

….

Jack waited eagerly for his wife, sister and the children to meet him in Portland. The furniture had arrived a week earlier and Jack had already started working at Portland's new General Hospital. He stood just outside the ebony door, the white screen door open in a welcome as their cab turned into the lane. Juliet got out, her son in her arms and took in the view while Claire wrestled with Aaron's car seat.

Lush green lawns greeted her with the scent of freshly cut grass as the white Colonial home loomed in the near distance. She saw her husband framed in the covered front porch, a huge smile on his face.

"Wow," Claire said putting Aaron on the ground, steadying his shaky balance, "It's bigger in real life than in the pictures."

Her blue eyes grew large as she scanned the light grey ridged roof, following it across to the attached garage.

"It's beautiful," Juliet breathed, walking closer to her new home, "Just look at those big beautiful windows Claire, bay windows!"

Claire smiled at how happy her sister in law was.

"Here, let me have him," Claire said and took Christian from Juliet, "Go greet your husband."

Juliet gave her a grateful smile and promptly ran the rest of the distance and into Jack's arms.

"Do you like it?" he whispered into her hair.

"Like it?" she said staring deeply into his hazel eyes which blazed with anticipation, "I love it!"

Jack laughed and kissed her deeply, his tongue finding her warm centre.

"Hey, not in front of the kiddies," Claire admonished and gave her brother a sisterly peck on the cheek.

Jack put his arm around her shoulder, his other around his wife's waist.

"So what do you think sis? Can you be happy here?"

….

Jack took them through the nearly 4000 square feet of the house. Claire marveled at the large, modern kitchen.

"Imagine all the things you can cook and bake in here," she said running her hand over the stainless steel appliances and marble countertop.

"It's all yours," Jack said, "Lord knows someone around here should be able to cook."

"Hey!" Juliet cried, "I can cook."

Claire and Jack looked at each other silently.

"I can!" Juliet insisted, "I only burned the muffins once."

Again, Claire and Jack looked at each other.

"It's true," Juliet insisted.

"Have you ever had her soup?" Jack whispered as Claire stifled a giggle.

"Have you ever felt my right hook?" Juliet warned.

Jack rubbed his hand against his jaw, "Yeah, actually I have."

"Then you better move along and onto the bedrooms," his wife advised.

Jack nodded and led them up the stairs, his fingers gripping the hand carved banister. There were four large bedrooms. One was turned into a nursery for Aaron and Christian, the master suite for Jack and Juliet, the second largest for Claire.

"A walk in closet!" she screamed as Aaron squealed with his mother's delight.

Finally, the smaller of the bedrooms was turned into a guest room.

"It's beautiful," Juliet said taking Jack's hand and kissing it. He beamed at her.

"Hey, what's this room?" Claire asked, her hand brushing over a closed door.

"It hangs over the garage," Jack said in the hallway, as Juliet rocked their little boy to sleep, "I figured we could turn it into a playroom for the kids and use the rest for storage."

Claire opened the door and immediately felt a rush of eerie cold wind.

"Brr," she cried, "It's freezing in here."

"I though you said the inspector okayed the whole house," Juliet asked her arms wrapping tightly against Christian for warmth. The minute she stepped into the room, her son began to wail.

'He did," Jack said frowning in the doorway, "But I should have known better than to trust him."

Juliet stepped out of the room, standing at its threshold and finally Christian ceased to cry.

"Why shouldn't you trust him?" she asked him.

"Because, well, I didn't want to mention it but our inspector was John Locke."

Claire's heart started racing for no apparent reason as Juliet's face turned from a happy glow to a worried frown.

"He said he used to work as an inspector before the Island," Jack said, "Don't worry ladies, he's gone now and I'll have the room reinsulated."

"Right," Juliet said trying to shake off her fears, "Come on Claire, let's leave this place before you catch a cold."

Wrapping her arms protectively around herself, Claire walked out of the room and breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door.

….

Claire tucked Aaron into his crib and gave him a goodnight kiss.

"Everything alright in here?" Jack asked coming to check on his son before turning in.

"They're both fast asleep," she told him.

"Good, must have been a day of excitement for them," Jack said smiling lightly.

Claire looked at him, "You know," she said turning at the nursery door to dim the light, "This way, they'll grow up more like siblings than just cousins."

"The way we were supposed to," Jack said.

"Yeah," Claire agreed, "The way we should have."

Jack bent down and kissed his sister's forehead.

"Goodnight Claire."

"Goodnight Jack."


	3. Chapter 3

**Cpt 3.**

"A confidence man knows he's lying, that limits his scope. But a successful shaman believes what he says-and belief is contagious, there is no limit to his scope."

Stranger In A Strange Land

-Robert A. Henlein-

Juliet's palm went across the taut stomach of her husband. Her fingers spread wide before gently curling into the mass of curls that lay just below his stomach, covering his pubic area. His cock jumped slightly, a subconscious reaction to his wife's intimate touch, even in sleep. She watched it move, the bed sheets rising slightly and a sly smile crossed her lips. She lifted the covers and took a peek, he was hardening and his breath came deep and strong as her fingers inched ever lower.

"You going to tease me while I lay helpless in bed?" he said groggily, startling her and making her jump back.

"I thought you were asleep?" she said smiling gently at him.

"And what were you planning on doing if I was?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said demurely.

"Uh huh, you know this is the second time I've caught you checking me out in my sleep," he said.

"I wasn't checking you out," she giggled but a streak of red was streaming across her cheeks.

Jack rolled over, pinning her down onto the bed, his hand holding her wrists together above her head.

"You were checking me out," he whispered.

Juliet raised her eyebrow but said nothing. They stared at each other until finally Jack's hand began to slide up her long, lean thigh sending shivers up her spine. She immediately opened her legs for him but he stopped midway through.

"Jack," she whimpered.

Jack leaned his face into hers but only grazed her open mouth with his lips and breath, instead he pressed his lips to her beautiful polished shoulders. Juliet's eyes fixed on the ceiling as she threw her head back, trembling as he renewed his caress of her inner thigh. She clutched at his hair, sinking her fingers into the short crop as his tongue ran the length of her collar bone. Finally his burning lips joined with hers, kissing her long and deeply.

Juliet arched up but Jack was careful not to let his hips touch hers, or let her feel his throbbing cock against her wet hole. He wanted to take his time with her. He pushed up on his forearms and slid his chest against hers, the tips of her hardened breasts sent jolts of electricity through his body down to his aching penis. His hand slid down her torso, barely scraping over her clit before he found the space between them and took hold of his own member. He caressed his rod gently at first before running its length with a firmer grip, squeezing the precum out and running it over his head with his thumb.

"God, please Jack," Juliet cried her thighs sticky and wet from the pool spilling from her pussy. He gazed at her beauty, his eyes swimming in lust as they fell over her swollen breasts and traveled over the soft curves of her hips.

Juliet's arms stretched out to him and he fell into them, letting her engulf him in her embrace as she showered hot, wet kisses over his neck and shoulders. His cock lay across her belly in anticipation of taking her as he rolled her nipples across his tongue and between his teeth. When he felt Juliet's nails dig into the flesh of his back he knew she had waited long enough and placing one leg over hers pushed into her, teasingly moving back a little but she wrapped her legs around him and pressed the small of his back, pushing him in till he was buried deep inside her.

Jack groaned and began thrusting faster and harder now as she clung to his biceps, the sweat running down his tattoos, following the pattern of his protruding veins.

"God yes," Juliet cried clutching his even tighter as her orgasm hit her and then she felt the familiar rush of warm liquid fill her as Jack released inside her. He lay in her arms till their breathing stilled.

"Now its home," she said stroking his brow tenderly.

"What?" he asked with a chuckle.

"We've officially christened the house," she explained.

"Well," he said slyly, "The bedroom at least."

"You have another room in mind?" she inquired.

"Many," he said but the digital clock caught his attention, "Shit! I'm going to be late; the damn alarm didn't go off."

Jack ran to take a shower and dressed for work. He stumbled downstairs grabbed a slice of toast Claire was buttering for herself and took off out the door.

"I was going to eat that," she cried to the back of his head.

Juliet laughed and put a couple of new slices into the toaster.

"So what are you up to today?"

"I was thinking of going into town and look around for a job," Claire said fishing for the strawberry jam in the cupboard, "That is if you don't mind watching Aaron for awhile."

"No, not at all. I have a ton of reading if I'm going to catch up on the latest fertility treatments, so I have nowhere to be," Juliet said as she poured them some coffee.

"So you're going to go back to work soon," Claire asked.

Juliet nodded, "As soon as Christian's a little older, there's a great daycare right in Jack's hospital. They'll take Aaron as well."

"Cool," Claire said, "Oh look at the time, I better get going."

She kissed the boys and said goodbye to Juliet and headed out. Juliet turned to the children and sighed before flipping the radio on. Downtown, by Petula Clark came on and Juliet smiled as she cleared the dishes.

….

Claire strolled past flower shops and an array of clothing boutiques and antique stores. Portland's quaint atmosphere along with a blue, sunny sky had her feeling happy and free. With a mocha latte in her hand, she peered into shop windows hoping for a help wanted sign. Finally, she saw one. It was situated in the lower, right hand corner of the window. The little store was only a few blocks from the bus stop she let herself off on, twenty minutes from home. She looked up at the sign and read "Wicked Moon, books and pagan supplies". Claire scrunched her nose but took another look through the window. Shelves were lined with various teas, crystals and books. A cat meowed and caught her attention, bringing it to the window display where he sat. It was laid with a set of outstretched tarot cards and an astrological chart. She perked up at that, astrology was always an interest of hers and she decided to walk in.

She was met with the heady scent of incense but it wasn't unpleasant, instead it left her feeling immediately calm and at ease.

"May I help you?" a middle aged woman with fiery red hair asked her.

"Um, well," Claire hesitated but the woman smiled kindly at her and she continued, "I was wondering about the job you posted in your window."

"Are you interested in working here?" the woman asked.

"Maybe," Claire said.

"Well it basically entails helping out in the shop, doing cash and we also ship items through on online website we have. Do you know computers?"

Claire nodded. "Good," the woman said, "And what about the Path?"

"Um, Path?" Claire asked bewildered.

"Oh, you're not Wiccan then," the woman said, "Do you know anything about Pagan religions?"

"I know astrology. I can do people's charts," Claire offered.

The woman laughed, "Well that's something at least. More than most of the people that has come in. You know, mostly Goth kids thinking it would be cool to work here," she said and held out her hand, "I'm Katharine by the way but most people call me Kat."

"Claire," she said shaking her hand while still holding her coffee with the other.

"I like you Claire; you have a good aura about you. The job's yours if you want it."

"Great, yeah I'd love to work here."

"You can start tomorrow. It doesn't pay great, about $10 an hour to start but you get all the free tea you can drink."

Claire laughed and accepted the offer.

"I'll start by showing you the merchandise and then the web site and explain what everything is for. Let's say 8am?"

"Sounds great Katharine," Claire said.

"Kat," she told her.

"Great, Kat," Claire repeated.

"I'll see you tomorrow then Claire," the woman said and walked her out the door.

Claire smiled brightly as her mind raced with what experiences she might have when she suddenly crashed into a hard body, spilling her coffee all over him.

"God damn it, why don't you watch where you're going?" the man yelled.

"I'm terribly sorr…Sawyer?" Claire asked in amazement.

"Mamacita is that you?" he asked.

"What are you doing in Maine?" he asked her patting his wet chest with a napkin.

"I live here now; didn't you get Juliet's messages?"

"I had to get another cell phone, is Jack and Juliet here too then?" Sawyer asked.

"Yeah, Jack's working at the General Hospital now. We needed a fresh start away from L.A. you know. But what are you doing here?" Claire asked in excitement.

Sawyer stuck his hands in his jeans' pockets and rocked back on his heals, "Not much really."

"Oh," Claire said as the silence grew between them. She was disappointed he didn't seem as happy to see her as she was to see him.

"You should come to the house," she finally said, "I know Juliet's been worried about you."

"Maybe later," he said, "What's the address?"

Claire dug into her purse and found a pen and some paper. She handed him the address and he took it. Their fingers touching sent the familiar bolt of electricity she experienced every time they touched and she was sure he felt it too.

"So I'll see you later then?" she asked. He shrugged, "Maybe," before heading off in the opposite direction.

….

It had been a long day for Jack but he happily listened to Claire talk about her job in the Occult store over dinner.

"All that voodoo stuff, you sure you want to deal with those people?" he asked her.

"It isn't voodoo, it's mainly Wiccan," Claire said, "And yeah I think it will be fun."

He laughed and let her chatter on as his wife squeezed his knee under the table.

"And Sawyer's in town," Claire said.

Juliet immediately felt Jack tense under her touch. She knew her husband was aware of his sister's increasing crush on the con man and how he hated the thought of them together.

"What's he doing here?" Jack asked.

"He didn't say. I told him to come over but so far he hasn't shown up."

Jack looked at his wife who gave him a telling look not to say anything negative about their son's godfather so he bit his tongue and kept quiet.

Finally the kids were put to bed and Claire and Jack retired to their rooms. Juliet stayed up preparing a lunch for Jack to take with him to work, putting a romantic note for him to read next to his sandwich. She was smiling mischievously at the thought of him reading it when a knock on her back door startled her.

"James?" she said opening the door and letting him in.

"Hey Blondie, long time no see," he said in his usual southern drawl.

"What are you doing lurking in the back of the house?"

"Waiting for everyone to go to bed, except you I mean," he said.

Juliet pulled out a chair for Sawyer and took the one directly across from him.

"Why?' she asked bluntly.

"Just wanted to see how you were without causing a scene, you know with the Doc."

"Jack wouldn't say anything, he likes you deep down."

Sawyer let out a sarcastic chuckle.

"What's wrong James? What are your really doing here in the middle of the night? In Maine?"

"It's where Cassidy moved, after," he said pausing and taking a deep breath, "After Clementine was born."

"Oh," Juliet said sadly.

"I just needed to hear it, to know if it was true," he said.

"And?" Juliet asked and watched as his fingers curled into fists at his knees.

"She's dead then," Juliet said knowing he wouldn't get the words out himself.

"Juliet," he whimpered and began to sob, he collapsed in his seat and she took his head into her lap, bending over him and running her hand over his back as he shook with sobs.

"They killed her, my little girl and for what? Some fucked up DNA experiment?" he said.

"I'm so sorry James," she told him not knowing what else to tell him.

"I'm so tired Juliet. I've seen so much, done so much. So many dirty things, you couldn't even believe."

"I know James, I know about it all," she said reminding him she had read his file.

He looked up, his eyes red and puffy.

"So why do you put up with me? Why did you want me to be your kid's godfather of all things?" he asked her as she handed him a tissue.

"Because James, we've all done horrible things when we had to, seen horrible things, experienced unimaginable heartaches. None of us came away unscathed," she told him.

He smiled at her, "You know you're a lot like Jack."

She looked at him, with her eyebrow raised in question.

"You're too damn good and you don't even know it. The two of you really are perfect for one another."

Juliet grinned at him, "Jack's not all good, in fact he can be very bad when he wants too."

"Ugh, do I need to hear about that tonight?" he grimaced.

Juliet laughed and shook her head no, "There's a spare bedroom, why don't you go up and get some sleep."

"I don't know Juliet," he hesitated.

"It's late, everyone's already asleep. I'll explain things to Jack when he wakes up in the morning."

Sawyer relented and let her lead the way. Once he was settled she shut the door softly and headed for her own bed. She passed the closed door of the playroom and felt a cold wind pass through her. She turned to walk away with a shiver when she heard a soft whisper call her.

"Juliet," it said in a mournful cry stopping her in her tracks. With her heart pounding she followed the voice to the room. Her hand on the cold door knob, she was about to open it.

"Juliet," Jack called from the doorway of their room. She jumped back to look at him.

"You scared me," she said in a whisper, her hand at her heart.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

"I thought I heard something, someone, calling me," she explained.

"Yeah, me. I was calling you to come to bed," he said.

"No, I don't think it was," she said but he cut her off and took her hand.

"Its late baby, come to bed."

She let him lead her in but took a look back over her shoulder. She could have sworn she saw a dark shadow pass through the closed door of the mysterious cold room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chp 4**

"Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life."

Lord Of The Flies

-William Golding-

"I think I hear Christian crying," Jack said but Juliet just moaned and clung tighter to him in sleep.

"I'll get it," Claire cried from the hallway before entering the nursery. Christian was wailing uncontrollably as she tried to soothe him before her eyes traveled to her son's empty cot.

"Aaron?" she called, her heart racing, "Aaron!"

She frantically called for her son, running back out into the hall before noticing the door to the playroom slightly ajar.

"Aaron," she called again, this time in a fearful whisper, pushing the door wider. A gusty cold wind blew over her as she entered the near empty room. In the centre of the floor, sat her son, eyes wide and head tilted up. His back was facing the door but from where Claire stood it seemed as if he was looking at something. No, Claire shook her head, not something, someone. Aaron laughed and raised his hands up to the empty space, as if listening to a voice, wanting them to pick him up.

"Aaron!" Claire cried, "How did you get in here?"

Suddenly the room grew even colder, angry, and she shivered from the ice running through her veins as she quickly lifted her son. He struggled in her arms as Christian could still be heard outside. She held him tight and marveled at his warm body, speeding him out of the room. Christian's sobs immediately ceased.

"Aaron stop wriggling," she told her child before closing the door when he started screaming.

"Aaron be quiet! What's wrong with you?"

"Can't a man get any peace and quiet around here?" Sawyer whined as he stepped out of the guest room in his low slung jeans and nothing else.

Claire's eyes grew wide, "Sawyer?"

"Yeah Mama," he said pushing the hair from his sleep filled eyes, "What's all the hollering eh little man?" he asked taking Aaron from her arms.

"He was in the playroom, I don't know how, I thought the door was shut when I went to bed last night."

"Got a curious kid on your hands, that'll be trouble," Sawyer said smiling at the boy.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jack demanded having come to investigate the commotion.

"Long time no see Doc," Sawyer said.

"Are you the one Locke was talking about?" Jack asked.

"Locke?"

"Yeah Locke. He said he wasn't the only one here from the island, I should have known you'd be," he said but was cut off.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I ain't seen the Great White Hunter since we got off the island," Sawyer spat.

"Then what the hell are you doing in my house," he said before looking at Claire half undressed, "Oh no."

"Jack," Juliet said from behind him, "It's not what you think. I asked him to stay last night."

"You what?"

"He was upset and it was late, he slept in the spare room, didn't you James?"

Sawyer grinned at the two of them as Aaron clung to his neck. Jack let out a frustrated sigh.

"I don't have time to argue this now," he said giving Juliet a glare, "I'm going to give Christian his bottle then I've got to head out to work."

"Okay Jack," Juliet said calmly.

"Don't forget the gala tonight," he told her.

"I'm just going to finish getting dressed and go pick up our clothes at the cleaners."

Jack grunted before heading downstairs to the kitchen with his baby. Juliet gave Sawyer a wink and a smile before going back to her room.

"Gala?" Sawyer asked Claire.

"Oh some anonymous guy donated a huge amount to Jack's hospital for a new spinal injury wing or something. They're having some big thing tonight to reveal who it was," she said before taking Aaron back into her arms.

"You going too?" he asked her giving her body a quick scan. She looked cute, he thought, standing there in her tank and boy short pajamas.

"Me? Nah, not really my thing, you know?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "I guess I should get going before Jack bursts an artery."

"Say Sawyer," she said stopping him.

"Yeah Little Mama?"

"Why don't you come over later, for dinner? Nothing fancy, just something I can fix up."

"I don't know," he started.

"Oh come on, Jack won't be here. That is if that's what you're scared of," she teased.

"I ain't scared of anything," he insisted.

"So I'll see you at 7 then?"

"Alright then," he said.

She gave him a smile before turning towards her room. Aaron looked over her shoulder at the closed door of the playroom; his arm outstretched aching to reach it.

….

"You look beautiful tonight," Jack whispered to Juliet as his hand rested on the back of her chair. She giggled slightly.

"So sexy, in that tight, black dress," he pressed on.

"Jack," she said trying to hush him, "We're in the middle of dinner. You're supposed to be listening to the speeches."

Jack groaned, "I'd much rather be listening to you moan my name."

Juliet's cheeks coloured.

"Come on, let's ditch this place, go find somewhere dark and secluded," he pleaded.

"Shh, they're about to reveal the donor."

Jack nibbled at her neck, ignoring her pleas to stop.

"We are honoured to announce the name of the man who so generously donated 23 million dollars towards the new spinal wing…."

"Jack stop," Juliet insisted as his hand slipped behind her chair and stroked the small of her back. At this rate he'd have her running anywhere he pleased, doing anything he pleased.

"Please join me in a warm round of applause in welcoming Mr. Hugo Reyes to the stage."

Jack and Juliet froze in their seats. "Did they just say," Jack asked looking up from Juliet's neck.

She nodded and starred straight ahead as Hurley took to the podium.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chp. 5**

"Before you can do things for people, you must be the kind of man who can get things done. But to get things done, you must love the doing, not the people."

The Fountainhead

-Ayn Rand-

He stood at the door, fidgeting with his hair, swiping his fingers through his mane. He needed a haircut, he thought as the door finally opened.

"Come in," Claire greeted him with a wide smile, blue eyes shining. He hesitated but then sauntered in.

"It's turning cold," she said as she shut the door behind her, offering to take his beat up leather jacket. She let herself inhale its scent, his scent, before hanging it on the coat rack.

"Yeah, fog's rolling in too," he added walking into the kitchen, "Something sure smells good."

"It's just stew, nothing fancy," she said and shyly smiled at him again.

"Stew sounds mighty good, I mean you gotta be a better cook than Juliet, right?" he half joked remembering the last time Juliet attempted to cook him a meal. He grimaced at the memory, his stomach turning at the thought.

Claire laughed, "Anyone can cook better than Juliet."

They chuckled as she handed him a beer.

"So where's the kids?" he asked noticing the silence.

"I put them to bed a few minutes ago. They should stay quiet, Christian's pretty good at sleeping through the night," she told him ladling the stew into a big bowl and placing it in front of Sawyer.

"Of course he is he's Jack's. Dr. Perfect has to have a perfect baby," Sawyer snarled.

Claire looked at him with a frown, "It's not like that. Jack, he doesn't think he's perfect."

"I know," Sawyer said dunking a piece of garlic bread into the sauce and stuffing it into his mouth. He chewed while thinking then added, "That's about the only thing wrong with him."

"Sorry, I don't follow?" Claire asked, taking a sip of her coke.

"Jack carries around all this guilt and angst, makes him morose," he explained.

Claire laughed and shook her head.

"What?" he asked.

"The same could be said about you," she told him.

"Are you comparing me to Dr. Giggles?"

"I think you two are a lot alike," she stated firmly.

"How do you figure that?" he asked a little annoyed at her amusement.

"Well," Claire pondered, "You both will do whatever it takes to protect the ones you care about," she said but he just snorted at that.

"It's true," she insisted, "You both had Kate in common," she whispered staring at her plate, twirling her fork around the meat and potatoes.

"That was a long time ago," he said softly then smirked, flashing her, his dimples, "Besides; we're both into blondes now."

Claire smiled, a slight blush tinting the apples of her cheeks, "Yeah?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said staring into her eyes before leaning across the table and brushing his lips to hers.

…..

"Oh my God, Hurley!" Juliet cried, "Is it really you?"

"Yeah Dudes, the one and only!" he cried.

"You look different," she said.

"Thin, very thin," Jack blurted out before his wife jabbed him in the side painfully.

"You look great Hurley," she said.

"I got my stomach stapled," he said enthusiastically.

"Oh," she said, "That's er, nice for you."

"Yeah well my cardiologist suggested it," Hurley said.

"So what's with the $23 million donation?" Jack asked.

"Well I got money and I heard you were working here so," he said, "It was the least I could do for the guy who got us rescued."

"I didn't get you rescued," Jack said, "That was Kate."

"Oh I know, I mean technically," Hurley said, "That's why I contributed to her defense fund."

"Defense fund?" Juliet asked.

"Yeah dudes, I hired a bunch of high priced lawyers and they totally got her off," he explained.

"So Kate's no longer on the run?" Juliet asked curiously.

"She's like totally free now," he told them.

Juliet smiled nervously, afraid to look over at her husband and see his reaction to the news that Kate was no longer an escaped convict. She needn't have worried because he wasn't in the least bit interested; Jack's mind was on other things.

"Are you the one Locke was talking about?" he inquired abruptly.

"Jack!" Juliet chided, "This is Hurley we're talking about, he wouldn't be in cahoots with Locke."

"I'm soooo confused," Hurley stressed, "What are you guys talking about?"

"John's in Maine," Jack stated.

"No way, that's like a coincidence."

"So's Sawyer, and Claire is living with us," Juliet added.

"Freaky," he answered, his eyes wide.

Juliet laughed, "You haven't changed one bit Hurley."

…..

Sawyer's fingers slid through the silk of Claire's hair, slipping through the soft waves till they came to rest at the nape of her neck. She moaned softly into his mouth, his warm breath tasting a little of beer. He kissed her deeply, with more passion than Charlie ever did. Charlie had treated her like a china doll, or the Virgin Mary. She wanted Sawyer to devour her, she hadn't ever been devoured. Claire let him in as his tongue searched for hers. He pulled her out of her chair and into his lap, he wanted her but he wanted to take his time with her, tease her, and feel her wriggle on his lap for more.

His hands ran softly down the curve of her spine before he slinked his fingers around her hips, digging her into his groin. She was panting already, her breaths shallow as she palmed his chest, expanding across his wide chest. She was so tiny next to him, but she felt safe.

"Sawyer," she whispered as he continued to caress her body, changing from soft strokes to rough gropes. She was about to tug his shirt out of his pants when Christian began to cry, his loud sobs coming through the baby monitor sitting on the counter top. Claire sighed and slid off Sawyer's lap.

"Damn, I thought you said he slept through the night," he said, the frustration apparent in his voice.

"He does," Claire said, "He usually does, I swear."

Sawyer gave her a sideways glance, his eyes heavily lidded in annoyance as the baby continued to wail.

"You could come up and help me with him, he is your godson after all," Claire called from the hallway.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," he said.

…..

"So that was an interesting evening," Juliet said as she walked beside her husband to the car.

"Uh huh," Jack said absentmindedly.

"Penny for your thoughts," she offered, "Jack?"

"Hmm?"

She sighed then breathed the cool October night air in, "What are you worrying about now?"

"I'm not worrying," he lied.

"Jack," she said and looked at him knowingly.

"What?'

"I can tell you're worried, you get these wrinkles in your forehead whenever you're worried."

"What wrinkles?' he asked her, his hands going to his hips.

"Those wrinkles," she said and smoothed her hand across his brow. He smiled at her and she grinned back leaning into him. He gave her a tight embrace.

"It's, well, don't you find it odd, all these people from the island reappearing here, in Maine?" he asked frowning.

"It's not so many people, it just like Hurley said, just a coincidence," she told him.

"I don't believe in coincidences," he said.

Juliet arched her eyebrow, "Now you sound like Locke."

He frowned even deeper.

"It's a small world," she said and shrugged.

"Not that small," he said sternly.

"Come on, let's go home and I'll take your mind off things," she told him grabbing his hand.

"And how do you intend on doing that?" he asked.

"You'll see," she said mischievously before tugging him towards their car.

…..

"What's the problem kid?" Sawyer asked peering into Christian's crib, "Got a wet diaper or something?"

Christian's eyes grew wide at seeing Sawyer but only cried louder.

"Jesus, you got a set of lungs on you. Hold your horses, I've gotcha," he said lifting the baby up into his arms.

"Aaron's not in his bed," Claire said in a panic.

"What?" Sawyer turned around but Claire was already out the nursery and heading down the hall. The door to the room she so dreaded was open. She walked slowly, already the chill creeping up her spine.

"Aaron," she whispered tentatively, "Are you in there?"

But she already knew the answer. She struggled to find the light switch on the side of the wall. Finally she flicked it on and as the light flooded the room she could have sworn she heard an angry grumble.

"Aaron!" she called out.

He was sitting in the centre of the room again, an irritated look for his mother on his face.

"Aaron Littleton you should be in bed asleep," she chastised and walked towards her son.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind her, she turned in terror, picking up her son and grabbing at the door knob. It rattled in her hand but wouldn't open.

"Sawyer!" she screamed pounding on the door from the inside, "Sawyer!"

Christian wailed in his arms as he walked to the room, "Hold on a sec," he said.

"The door, it's locked from your side," she told him.

Sawyer fiddled with the knob, but the door was stuck shut. Claire grew colder, icy chills gripping her body and soul.

"Claire," she heard a whisper behind her. She turned around fearfully but saw nothing.

"Sawyer, get us out of here," she pleaded.

"Don't panic, it's jammed," he said pushing at it with his shoulder, a crying baby in the other arm.

"Will you give it a rest," he told the boy exasperated.

"Claire," the whisper came again, "Just give him to me…"

"Sawyer!" Claire panicked.

"I'll have to look for some tools, does Jack have any?"

"I don't know," she cried, "Don't leave me."

"What else do you expect me to do Mamacita?"

"Can't you pick the damn lock?" she demanded to know.

"What, with a screaming kid in my arms?" he asked.

"Put Christian down!" she told him.

Sawyer looked around then decided to plop the baby on the carpeted floor.

"Don't move!" he told him before turning his back to look for a bobby pin in the washroom.

Christian crawled to the door and put his hands on it, a sudden clicking noise was heard and out stepped Claire and Aaron.

"Thanks," she said calm now that she was out of the room although the further she got from there the better she thought.

"I didn't do anything," Sawyer said looking down at Christian who stared into the cold room before beginning to cry again. He picked up the baby and shut the door closed. Finally Christian quieted down.

"Aah, some peace at last," Sawyer said before the baby threw up on him.

……

Claire settled the boys back in their respective beds, took a deep breath to ease her frazzled nerves, then headed to the washroom where Sawyer was scrubbing at the baby spit on his t-shirt.

"Works better if you rub it in little circles," she said stifling a giggle.

"Oh really?" he asked.

She nodded and took a step closer to him, taking the sponge from his hand she dabbed at the spot near his shoulder. His warm breath fell over her cheek as he looked down at her tiny frame.

"I think maybe, I should take it off," he said suggestively.

She looked up and batted her eyelashes at him, "Um, okay."

He slid the shirt off his body, his toned chest inches away from her face. She ached to place her hands on him, shower Sawyer with a thousand wet kisses. He dropped the soiled shirt on the tiled floor and lifted her chin up.

"You think the kids will sleep now?"

"Uh huh."

"No more interruptions?" he asked still holding her face in his palm.

"None," she said and swallowed hard.

"Good," he said and licked his lips before bending and kissing her mouth.

They were greedy for one another, the pent up frustration of earlier and Claire's fear back in the room, pouring out in mad gropes at each others bodies, sucking and biting their flushed skin. Claire's hand slid the length of Sawyer's tanned torso before cupping the growing bulge below. He moaned and pushed into her palm, his head tilting back and his eyes closing.

"Now," is all Claire managed to say before he spun her around, pushing her hair aside and kissing the back of her neck, letting his tongue slide across her as his hands lifted her plaid skirt up. She shut her eyes and wished for a moment that she had worn something sexier, something less mom like but it was wiped from her mind the minute Sawyer's fingers found her. She was moist, her panties damp as he rubbed over the thin fabric. He pushed himself into her and she could feel his hardness at the small of her back.

Claire reached behind her and felt blindly for his zipper, fumbling with it until he found her fingers, placing his over hers and guiding them as they pulled it down. He grunted from the slight release of pressure his jeans had put on his cock.

"Oh God," she cried as his hands went back under her skirt, slipping her undies to the side, he pressed the pads of his fingers against her swollen clit. His other hand slid between the buttons of her shirt and felt for her right breast, her tiny nipple hard as he rolled it between his thumb and forefinger. She felt dizzy with pleasure. So long, it had been so long and it felt so good.

She was coming, she thought, Sawyer was going to make her orgasm right here in the hall bathroom. She reached up and back, pulling at his hair, trying to grip something as the tension built inside her. She leaned forward, stumbling before she grabbed the shower bar above her.

…..

"So how are you going to get my mind off things?" Jack asked, climbing up the stairs of their colonial home.

"Patience, Jack," Juliet teased with a sly smile.

"Tell me," he whispered in her ear, his arm wrapping around her waist.

"I'll read you a bed time story, how about that?" she simply stated.

"A bed time story?"

"Sure."

"You think I'm stupid?" he asked with a laugh.

"No, Jack," she said with her own giggle, "I think you're stubborn."

"Come on," he whined.

"The sooner you open the door, the sooner you'll find out."

Jack quickly reached for his keys and opened the front door.

…..

"Oh fuck," Claire cried biting down on her lip as Sawyer dug his fingers into her wet pussy. She came so loudly, it echoed in the room reaching back to them. Claire gripped at the shower rod, pulling it hard as her orgasm ripped through her.

"God," she cried and tugged at the rod making it come tumbling down on top of them.

"What was that?" Juliet asked taken aback from the loud thump from upstairs.

"Wait here," Jack said.

"Jack," she called nervously but he was already running up the stairs.

He could hear Claire's moans from the bathroom and rushed in.

"Claire are you alright?" he asked.

Jack's eyes grew wide at seeing her and Sawyer tangled together with the shower curtain and wrestling with it on the floor.

"Oh my God," she cried, "Jack!"

"Don't you knock, Doc?" Sawyer asked pulling up his zipper and tugging down Claire's skirt as they managed to get up.

"Sawyer!" Jack screamed.

"Sawyer?" Juliet inquired from behind her husband deciding to come up and see what was happening, "Claire. James. James and Claire," Juliet managed to utter in a mix of shock and embarrassment.

"Um, we, uh," Claire stumbled trying to redo the buttons of her shirt.

"The baby threw up on me," Sawyer offered as explanation looking around for his shirt as evidence.

"Get out!" Jack yelled.

"Jack it's not what you think," Claire stammered smoothing her tousled hair and desperately wishing her pussy would stop aching.

"Just calm down, the vein in your neck is pulsing," Sawyer warned as Jack seethed in the doorway, "And you'll wake the kids."

"Don't talk to me about the children," Jack raged, "Just get your hands off my sister and get out of my house."

Sawyer lifted his hands up in surrender, "Okay Doc."

"I asked him over," Claire informed her brother.

Jack looked over at his sister, "You don't know him."

"I know him as well as you do," she spat back.

"No, you obviously don't or you wouldn't be fawning all over him in the shower!"

"I'm not fawning," Claire told him, "And we weren't in the shower, exactly."

"I think we should all just take a step back," Juliet made her way into the conversation, "It's late and we're all tired. We don't want to say something we can't take back."

Jack glared at her but agreed. Sawyer sighed and slipped back into his t-shirt.

"Thanks for dinner," he said turning to Claire before walking out of the room, throwing one last look at Jack.

"Goodnight Sawyer, I'll call you later," Claire said as she watched Juliet walk him out.

"You were out of line," she told Jack.

"He's trouble Claire," Jack said.

"What if he is?" Claire asked, "It's my decision on who I have over for dinner and, and the shower," she said as Jack's eyes widened, "You don't get to police my life big brother!"

She marched to her room, slamming the door shut. Jack picked up the shower curtain before cringing in disgust and dropping it back onto the floor.

…..

"You overreacted," Juliet said as they got ready for bed.

"He'll hurt her."

"You don't know that," she said.

"Yeah, I do," he replied, "A tiger never changes his stripes."

Juliet sighed, dropping the subject and sitting on the edge of the bed. He looked over at her, her blonde hair down around her shoulders in soft waves. Jack smiled before walking over to her.

"So," he said in a low voice, "You going to take my mind off things now?"

"After that display? No," she told him.

"Come on Jules."

"Don't Jules me; you'll just have to get your own mind off of things."

"What?"

"Yes," she said, her blue eyes sparkling, "I think you should."

"Huh?" he asked perplexed.

Juliet stood up and pushed him against their closet door. She ran her hand over the scruff of his cheek, slid it slowly down his chest and to his groin. She caressed it softly till she felt him grow hard.

"Now," she said forcefully, "Pleasure yourself."

"You're being cruel," Jack said.

"It's the least you deserve Dr. Shephard."

"Aww, come on."

She shook her head, "Go on, I want to watch."

"You're serious?" he asked her a little shocked at his wife's suggestion.

'Uh huh," she murmured before sitting back down on the bed. She dimmed the lights so there remained only a soft glow in the room.

Jack stood starring at her for awhile, watching her remove her dress and stockings till she remained only in her black bra and panties.

"Go on," she encouraged him.

Jack's hand went to the zipper of his pants but hesitated. He'd masturbated before of course, but never in front of anyone. He laughed, thinking of the horror look his ex-wife would have on her face if she'd caught him jerking off. Jack looked back at Juliet and her face was flushed with anticipation. It made him hard. He slowly pulled the zipper down, the sound of the metal opening, ringing in his ears. He stared deeply into his wife's eyes; her pupils dilated as his fingers reached in and pulled himself out. A groan escaped his lips as his cock falls against the palm of his hand, hot and throbbing. Juliet licks her lips subconsciously as she sees the first drops of precum glistening at his tip.

"Take your shirt off," she tells him and he lets go of his dick to do as she says, unbuttoning his crisp white dress shirt, sliding it off his shoulders. She gasps quietly as his tattoos come into view before he drops the shirt silently to the floor by his feet. Juliet nods and his hand goes back to his penis.

Jack pulls at his length, his fingers curled into a fist, tugging down to the sensitive head. He moans when he feels the sticky wetness cover the pads of his fingers. He spreads it down his shaft for some lubrication but it isn't enough, he's used to the wet folds of his wife and he grunts in frustration. Juliet understands and leans over and grabs something from her dresser. She squeezes some of her moisturizer into his hand then teases her lips over his before heading back to the bed.

"Bitch," he mumbles and she laughs at him.

Jack covers himself with the soft scented cream, his thumb and forefinger alternating between soft and hard caresses. Jack leans his head back, and pushes his pants further apart, opening them more with his other hand. His eyes are shut tight now as he thrusts in and out of his hand. He can't see but he knows Juliet has her hand down her panties. He can hear her soft panting; can smell her arousal above his own. He's imagining her fingers digging into her pussy as she watches him pull at his cock.

"Fuck," he cries as his prick quivers through his fingers. Juliet moans and gasps, he opens his eyes, his lids fluttering with his pleasure, so he can watch her cum, the cups of her bra pushed down as she grabs at her breasts.

"Juliet," he breathes as his muscles in his body tighten before the wave rushes through him and he squirts over his palm and stomach. His breaths come in rapid gasps before he finally calms down. Juliet gets up and kisses him deeply.

"I'll get you a damp wash cloth to clean you with, I hear the shower rod is broken," she tells him with a wicked smile on her face.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chp 6**

"Love, though said to be afflicted with blindness, is a vigilant watchman."

Our Mutual Friend

-Charles Dickens-

It was a crisp autumn morning; Juliet recoiled as her bare feet hit the cold floor.

"Brr," she said softly to herself before wrapping her favorite blue sweater around her. It was old and worn, especially at the elbows, but it was the first thing Jack ever bought her and she wouldn't let it go, not even when her told her he'd get her a new one. She stifled a yawn, then stretched her long lean body before checking in on her son. Christian was still asleep, as was Aaron, last night's arguing over Claire and Sawyer, seemed not to have fazed either one of them. She looked down at her child and wondered if he'd grow up to be as stubborn as Jack. She smiled, and hoped he'd be just like his father. She fought back another yawn.

"I need some coffee," she thought as she headed out of the nursery. She was just about to step downstairs.

"Juliet."

She spun around but met nothing but emptiness.

"Jack?" she called quietly not wanting to wake Claire. When no one answered she turned back to the staircase.

"Ju-li-et," the voice called out in a slow, prolonged whisper.

Juliet frozen in fear, meekly called out.

"Yes?"

"Juliet, come here, come to me," the voice beckoned.

She turned and headed down the hall, her heart beating fast as she clung to her sweater, bunching it close to her chin in a fist of nerves. She stopped at the door, her hand going out to touch the wood. It was cold, very cold. But she felt a force, an energy, from the other side of the room willing her to open the door.

"Don't!"

Juliet jumped back in fear before turning around.

"Claire," she breathed in a much needed gulp of air, "You startled me."

Claire ran to her sister in law, grabbing her hand she ushered her away.

"Don't open that door; don't ever go in there, ever!"

"What? Why not?" Juliet asked.

Claire shook her head, "Something's wrong with that room," she told her, her Australian accent getting thicker as her fear became more palpibable, "I know you can feel it."

"Claire, I don't think," Juliet started.

"Something happened in there, something or someone," she said but couldn't finish.

"I'm sure it's just the bad insulation making it feel cold," Juliet tried to rationalize.

"Jack already had the insulation replaced," Claire stated.

"It's probably a draft somewhere or it was an addition to the house, you know how those are," Juliet said.

"Juliet, I know you don't believe that," Claire said,

"Believe what?" Jack asked.

Claire glared over her shoulder at her brother before turning back.

"I've got to get ready for work," she grumbled and went to her room.

"Guess she's still mad at me huh?" he asked his wife. She tilted her head to the side and smirked at him.

"You find this whole thing amusing don't you?" Jack asked.

"You brought it on yourself Jack."

"It's Sawyer, of all the men in the world, Sawyer!" he exasperated.

"I happen to like James," she told him.

"You would," he replied, "You're a woman."

Juliet rolled her eyes, "I'm going to pretend you didn't say that and go start breakfast. You get Christian ready."

"Uh, Juliet," Jack said stopping her, "How about you get the baby and I start breakfast?"

"But I was going to make pancakes."

Jack's eyes grew large in fear, "Maybe some other time. I really want to make breakfast today, you know, as a sort of peace offering to Claire."

"Okay, I guess," Juliet said as Jack tried to hide his relief.

…..

"Earth to Claire."

"Huh?" the petit blonde muttered still holding the duster in mid air.

"I was saying, when you're done that shelf you can help me tackle the receipts," Kat, her boss, said knowingly.

"Sorry."

"Mind on other things?" the pleasant middle aged woman inquired as she fought with a pile of receipts.

"It won't happen again, I promise."

"Don't worry," Kat told her, "So who is he?"

"Who's who?" Claire asked.

"The young man on your mind."

Claire blushed slightly, "Actually I wasn't thinking about a man."

Kat lifted her eyebrow in disbelief.

"Well," Claire said, "There is someone but my brother doesn't approve."

"And does he have a reason not to?"

Claire shrugged, "Kind of. Let's just say they have a history."

"But you like him all the same?" Kat asked. Claire nodded.

"Then follow your heart," she told her, "Only do it carefully."

Claire grinned, "I will. Only, it wasn't what I was thinking of, really."

"Okay then, what were you thinking of?"

"Kat, do you believe in ghosts?" Claire asked shyly.

"Yes I do."

"And hauntings?"

"Yes, why? Have you seen a ghost?" she asked the young mother.

"Not seen one but felt one, at least I think that's what I felt," she said confused.

"Well put down that feather duster and explain it to me."

Claire told Kat about the room and all the strange going on at the house.

"The cold certainly is an indicator of a present entity; you say you think he's spoken to you?" Kat asked.

"Yes and to my son, that's what scares me."

"Most ghosts aren't harmful,' Kat reassured her.

"But some are?"

Kat nodded, "Some," she said then fished through the book shelf and took out a volume.

"In here you'll find some easy protection spells and how to rid the room of the entity if that's what it is."

"Thanks, I'm probably being paranoid," Claire said.

"Better safe than sorry. Besides now you can get back to dusting," she told her, "And thinking of your rebel young man."

Claire smiled at her before going back to work.

…..

Sawyer wiped his greasy hands on the front of his jeans. He looked at the clock, a quarter to twelve. He hated this job, working on cars. It was fun back on the island with Hurley and Jin and stale Dharma beer, but punching the clock plain sucked.

"I'm going to lunch," he called out to the other guys.

"But it's not noon yet," Stan, a quiet guy in his 20's stated.

"Close enough," he said and headed out the door.

He made his way back to his tiny apartment. A bachelor pad above a commercial property. The sign read Widmore Housing Inspection in red letters as he passed through the side entrance and up the staircase.

"Claire?" he said in amazement.

She stood leaning up against his door, the pale green paint of the wall chipped and peeling beside her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"You said once you usually came back here on your lunch breaks," she told him.

"Yeah," he said.

"So here I am," she smiled widely, "Well. I came to see you."

"Uh huh," he muttered twirling his key chain around his fingers.

"Is that all you're going to say? Uh Huh?" she asked him.

"What about Jack?" he demanded to know.

"What about him?" Claire shot back with more than a little annoyance in her voice.

"He doesn't want you here, with me."

"So?"

"So maybe you should listen," he said pushing her aside and opening the door.

The room was sparse. A few questionable magazines littered the floor beside a beaten up t.v. stand. A dirty coffee mug sat, half drank beside the pull out couch which served as his bed. It was still out, the sheets in a rumpled mess. Claire ignored the mess as Sawyer threw down his keys on the kitchen counter. They stood staring at one another in silence.

"Did Juliet put you up to this?" Claire finally asked.

"What?" Sawyer scowled.

"Did Juliet put you up to this?" she repeated, her hands on her hips.

"No!" he said leaning against the counter. He looked like a cornered animal, trapped and ready to pounce. Claire could see he wanted her to drop the matter but she wouldn't, she was tired of being protected.

"Then why the cold shoulder Sawyer?"

He exhaled loudly, "Look, everything Jack told you about me, the lying, the using, it's all true."

"I know it is," she said.

"Well then you should just stay away for your own good. The other night, I shouldn't have let it go that far, it was a mistake," he told her.

"A mistake? Why, because it upset Jack?" she wanted to know.

"He's your brother, he worries about you."

"He worries about everyone and everything. He's not my keeper you know," she said pacing the littered room, "I'm not a kid."

"I get that but,"

"But nothing! I get to make my own decisions and what if I want to have some fun? Some danger in my life?"

Sawyer looked at her and flashed her his dimples. "You think I'm dangerous?"

She blushed, she was doing far too much of that lately, "Well, not real dangerous, just a little bit."

"Didn't you go through your bad boy phase in high school?" he teased.

"Not really. I dated good boy till I met Tom, who couldn't have been less dangerous if he tried," she pouted.

"So what happened to Tom? He bore you till you finally left him?" Sawyer asked.

"He got me pregnant then dumped me when he got too scared," she said bitterly.

"Sorry," Sawyer responded quietly.

"So you see," Claire said walking seductively up to him, "The nice guys sometimes turn out rotten."

She pressed herself up against him, her hands sliding up his chest. Claire could feel Sawyer's sharp intake of breath as she drove her hips into his.

"I want to have some fun now," she told him, pulling his head down so she could whisper breathily into his ear, "I want to play with the bad boy."

Sawyer grinned, letting out a quick chuckle before grabbing her by the buttocks, grinding himself into her. Claire gasped before feeling his tongue push past her lips to invade her mouth. She was warm and wet, like her sex the other night, and he groaned against her mouth as he walked her backward. He knew he shouldn't be doing this, knew getting involved with Jack's baby sister was more grief than it was worth. But she felt so willing in his arms and smelled so good, like ocean, the sea and sand, and damn it this was so wrong but he was so hard.

He took her clothes off slowly. If there was something Sawyer knew, it was how to make love to a woman, and you didn't rush it. He stretched Claire out on the bed, pushing the sheets aside. The pressure of his fingers was perfect as he explored every inch of her tiny body. Claire arched her back as he traced the outline of her delicate curves with the tips of his fingers. She sighed and relaxed as he placed his lips, the wetness of his tongue in the hollow of her neck, under her breasts, behind her knees, the length of her back, the inside of her thighs.

She wanted to do the same for him when he finally undressed in front of her so she could watch, but he pushed her back. Just rough enough to let her know bad boys liked control. She smiled complacently, she'd let him have his way, this time. Once on her back again he lifted her hips with both hands, his fingers digging into the small of her back, his thumbs resting on her flat stomach. She waited eagerly as he threw her legs over his shoulders and entered her in one long thrust. She cried out sharply, digging her fingernails into the mattress beneath her, but she quickly recovered and met each of his thrusts with equal vigor. She was going too fast, was going to make him cum too quickly so he calmed her down. Slowing the pace he rolled over her, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing her gently. Claire moaned and whimpered as she felt his balls rub against her ass, his cock filling her pussy, sliding along her deep walls. She dug into Sawyer's tight buttocks, he gasped and rocked into her, picking up the pace again they came together, on and on it went, their fluids mingling as they sucked each others lips, groans coming from deep in their throats as their chests rose and fell together till finally, spent, they collapsed beside one another.

"Fuck!" Claire screamed out loud before biting her bottom lip, still reveling in her orgasm, "Fuck!"

Sawyer looked at her, "Now is that any way for a mother to talk?"

…..

"Dr. Shephard," Nancy, Jack's secretary called to him as he made his way back to the office after lunch with Juliet.

"Yes Nancy?"

"Your new patient is here to see you," she told him.

"I didn't have a new patient scheduled for today," he said.

She handed him a chart, "It was a referral from the hospital in Oregon."

"Oregon?" Jack inquired with curiosity, "Well where is he then?"

"She," Nancy corrected him, "Ms. Porter, I put her in exam room one."

"Okay then," he said flipping the chart open and walking into the exam room.

"Ms. Porter, I'm Dr. Shepard," he said not bothering to look up at her, engrossed in her chart instead.

"Good afternoon Jack, it's nice to see you again."

Jack froze in place; his heart skipped a beat before it began to race as he looked up to see who was staring at him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he cried out.


	7. Chapter 7

Chp 7

"You'll get back to where you came from."

-Lord Of The Flies-

-William Golding-

Juliet starred down the upstairs corridor, balancing a laundry basket on her hip. She looked with a sense of dread at the forbidden door. Suddenly she let out a laugh.

"Forbidden door," she admonished herself, "Come on Juliet, you're a doctor, a woman of science."

But then she thought about all her experiences on the island. The things she heard of, the things she saw, and she swallowed hard as the fear tore through her again.

"No," she said shaking her head, "It's just a draft. I'll find it and then get Jack to fix it."

She smiled picturing Jack in his weekend jeans, a hammer in hand. She stifled a giggle, her husband could wield a scalpel like Michelangelo could a chisel, but give him a hammer and the whole house would likely fall down on them. Perhaps she would call James, when Jack was at work of course. Yes, she thought, she'd call James but first she had to find the draft.

She stood before the door and could already feel the icy wind cutting through it. Her son started to cry but she ignored the high pitched wail, her hand on the knob when the door bell rang.

"Who could that be?" she wondered and grabbing Christian from his crib, headed downstairs. She opened the front door and her eyes widened.

"What, what are you doing here?" she asked.

……

"That was," Claire searched for words.

"The best sex of your life?" Sawyer chimed in stretching his body out on the bed.

"I don't know if I'd go that far," she teased, curling up to him, "But it was definitely okay."

"Okay!?" Sawyer cried, "What are you talking about?"

Claire giggled as she settled into the crook of his arm.

"Well don't get to comfortable little Mama, I've got to get back to work soon," he said stroking her blonde hair.

Claire sighed; she had to get back to the Pagan shop as well.

"Can I take a quick shower?" she asked.

"Sure, mi casa et su casa," he said and watched her walk away and into the bathroom.

Sawyer's face clouded over. Looking at the rumpled sheets, he had a feeling of dread come over him. He knew sleeping with Jack's little sister was not going to go over well. As he thought about the Doc's reaction a knock came on his door, startling him out of his thoughts. He sauntered over and without looking through the peep hole he opened the door.

"Hey Sawyer, we need to talk."

…..

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jack demanded to know as he threw the clipboard onto the counter top beside him.

"I have a message for you," she said, "From Ben."

"From Ben?" Jack laughed, "I'm not interested in what he has to say."

"It's very important Jack," she stated still sitting on the examining table.

"I said I'm not interested," Jack reiterated.

"But Jack," she started.

"Go back Cindy," he told her firmly, "Go back to the island and tell Ben to go to hell!"

Cindy slid off the table. She was nervous. Jack's sudden bursts of anger always confused and scared her. She recalled his rage in the cage that day she asked about Ana Lucia, and she approached him tentatively.

"It's about your son," she said, "Christian is in danger."

Jack grabbed the former flight attendant by both arms and pinned her against the wall.

"Don't ever mention my boy's name again!"

….

"May I come in Juliet?"

Juliet held onto her child closely.

"No Richard, you may not," she told him in a clear voice even though her heart pounded in her chest.

"Okay then," he said with a half smile, "I just wanted to discuss some things with you, if there's a better time."

"What things?" Juliet demanded to know as Aaron came waddling in to see who was at the door.

Richard Alpert looked over her shoulder.

"Claire's baby is getting big," he said kneeling down, "Hey there little man."

Aaron turned and ran back into the kitchen.

"He's shy," Richard said chuckling as he got back up to face Juliet.

"He has good sense," she replied curtly.

"Actually, that's what I came to talk to you about. Aaron and your son, Christian," he told her in a serious tone.

…..

Sawyer starred at the woman standing in his doorway. He looked her up and down, and ever though she wore a thick coat he could tell.

"You're pregnant," he said simply.

She nodded. He looked once over his shoulder, heard the water from the shower still running and turned back.

"And what do you want from me?" he asked.

She chuckled but shook her head, "Nothing Sawyer. I just thought."

"You thought what Kate?" he asked her.

"I thought you might want to know, that's all."

"Now? You come and tell me now. It's been months since you left."

Kate sighed, "I had to go, I was on the run," she explained.

"You ran alright," he spat.

"Look," she said softly, reaching out for him when Claire stepped out into the main room.

"Don't you own a comb?" Claire asked before stopping in her tracks, holding a towel around her body.

"Kate," she said in shock.

Kate stared back at the Aussie, dripping wet and naked in Sawyer's apartment. She looked back at Sawyer.

"Guess things have changed," she said then changing her mind added, "Or not."

Turning from her old lover she walked away.


End file.
